The Candy Cane Controversy

Is the candy cane just a holiday treat--or is there a spiritual meaning to its shape and stripes?

When--and how--did the candy cane originate? Legends abound about the popular treat, and many of the explanations involve religious themes. Some claim that in 1670, a choirmaster created the candy as a way to keep children quiet during Christmas services. A less plausible tale holds that the canes were a secret means of identification for persecuted European Christians.

Another story describes an Indiana candymaker who took a stick of white candy and bent it to form a hook. Turned one way, the cane represented "J" for "Jesus"; turned the other way, it represented a shepherd's staff, to remind the world that Jesus was the "shepherd of lost sheep." The legend holds that a thick red stripe was added to represent Jesus' blood while three thinner stripes represented lash wounds. The canes' peppermint flavor recalls the taste of hyssop, a leafy plant used for sacrificial ceremonies by ancient Hebrews and mentioned in the gospels' Passion narrative.

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Though we'll probably never know the whole truth about candy canes, the links below delve more deeply into the debate.